Sep 8, 2022 - Politics

Poll reveals power of targeting "persuadable" seniors in Florida

Ben Montgomery

Voters line up for a past election in Palm Beach County. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The governor's race in Florida is polling incredibly tight and will likely come down to a well-defined group of "persuadable" senior voters who tend to care way more about economic issues like inflation and jobs than abortion or the environment.

Those are the noteworthy findings of a new poll commissioned by AARP, the nonpartisan membership organization that advocates for those 50 and older.

State of play: "Persuadable voters" are the 11% of the 50 and older segment of the Florida electorate who are not definitely voting for either Gov. Ron DeSantis or former Gov. Charlie Crist.

Their number covers the polling gap between the two candidates and include those who are leaning toward a candidate and those completely undecided.

Details: Pollsters tell us these persuadable voters are mostly moderates or independents. And they're more pessimistic about the way things are going.

When asked to identify the issue they care most about, more than a quarter said inflation and rising prices, and 20% said jobs and the economy — far outpacing their 50+ peers.
Compared to 50+ voters who have already picked Crist or DeSantis, these voters care less about election security, crime, voting rights, abortion, climate change and immigration.

What we're watching: The candidate who wants these votes will speak to their personal finances rather than about social or cultural issues.

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Poll reveals power of targeting "persuadable" seniors in Florida

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